Harnessing the potential or kinetic energy of water to provide motive force or, more especially, electrical power is well known. Vast hydroelectric projects take advantage of the potential energy available from water falling from one elevation to a lower elevation. On a smaller scale, water wheels and other similar mechanism have long been utilized to turn mill stones, and to power industrial machinery. In addition, stationary water wheels have, in fact, been used to turn small electrical generators.
However, traditional water wheels suffer from many disadvantages. Most importantly, they must be located near an uninterrupted source of water to function. This generally requires construction of a dam to impound sufficient water to overcome seasonal rainfall variations. Dam construction is typically both expensive and environmentally problematic. Obtaining a construction permit for a dam is no small feat. It would, therefore, be advantageous to utilize a “portable” water wheel to capture energy from moving water without need for a permanent structure, especially a dam.